Nicolette Bird before the makeover session. Her eyes have been done up in a dusky pink hue; Prabir De applies a midnight maroon colour on her lips; the final look. Pictures by Pabitra Das

The most exquisite designer gown will fall flat if the colours you?re flaunting on your cheeks, eyes and lips are not in sync with the makeover mood of the season. So as you get set to make an impact at the Christmas Eve bash you?re hitting, focus on your face more than anything else. Even the simplest outfit can be carried off with elan if your eyes and lips are sending the right messages.

Since chances are you will end up wearing either a flamboyant evening dress or a pair of trousers with a party top, the accompanying colours shouldn?t be too loud. Opt for shades of brown or a dusky pink. These hues are eternal winter favourites and also gel well with western wear. For the eyes, the trend this season is to shun the black kohl-lined look in favour of a smudgy effect with eye-shadow.

Says ace make-up artiste Prabir De: ?The kohl-lined eyes and nude lips that were a rage for almost the whole year are totally out. The no-kohl look is in, with very dark lips. And for Christmas parties, dark lips with midnight hues of maroon, brown or red are a must. The eyes can be lighter with a smudgy look.?

De gives model Nicolette Bird a makeover, which he says can be sported with any party wear ? westerns, Indo-westerns and even smart saris.

Base blend

Keeping the weather in mind, moisturising the face before a makeover is absolutely essential. This should be followed by a foundation that matches the skin tone. Blend this well and top it with a compact of the same tone.

Eye effect

The first step towards beautifying the eyes is applying the shadow and this has to be done with care. De has applied a dusky pink shadow on the upper lid, blending it well. Highlight with a mix of silver and gold shadow just below the eyebrows. Slap on the same mix on the inner corner of the eyes as well.

Line the eyes with pink and brown pencil. Give it a sexy yet smooth smudge with a brush. ?Since the lined look is no longer in fashion, you have to use pencil liners to give the eyes some definition and then smudge them totally so that the lines don?t stand out,? advises De.

Lay on the mascara in three thick layers to give the lashes as much length as possible. Without the kohl, this is a must to make the eyes look dark.

Lip lustre

De has applied midnight maroon liquid lip colour on Nicolette?s lips. ?Even if you are using lipstick, avoid lip liner. Sport the smudged look instead of the well defined,? he says.

Cheek charm

Nicolette?s high cheekbones have been accentuated with dusky pink blush-on. This has been applied just below the cheekbones and blended well, while silver highlights have been dabbed on the cheeks.

Frizzy locks

Frizzy hair has been in for quite sometime and that?s the ideal style to sport this season. If you have a razor cut, which is the current rage, spike it with mousse or gel and keep it open. You can also put water on it for a scrunched effect.